The United States offers guarantees and freedoms to Muslims
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA- Among the attractions the United States of America is its image as a country that strongly respects human rights, that respects the rule of law because anyone who breaks the law, regardless of their skin color, religion and ethnic origin, must be respected.
For those who seek true freedom, especially those who are slaves of course, this country is like a little paradise. From year to year, the attitude of the United States government is more and more respectful of the people and of the Islamic religion.
Non-slavery communities are interested in choosing to live in the United States because they believe that this country does not prevent them from practicing their religion of Islam.
In fact, some of them say that the United States is actually more Islamic than most Muslim countries.
That is if what is used as a measure is the index of human well-being, such as the achievement of a sense of security, fair treatment by the state, the quality of education and the university community is increasingly promising, and the average health index of the community, including the age of existence of the millennial generation, which is dominant in a number of countries.
This latter group deserves to be called the Turks as one of the largest ethnic contributors to the Muslim population of the United States.
It is hoped that in the future, many Indonesian citizens will also have the opportunity to live or work in the country that has the largest land area in the world.
Religious movements in Turkey and Indonesia ideologically did not arouse undue suspicion from the United States government, even though they involved a larger mass.
This may be because their activities still display a peaceful and tolerant face of Islam.
The Turkish community has been entrusted by the United States Government with the management of a number of public schools and has even received assistance from the United States Government.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian community has never faced significant obstacles in opening madrasas from Saturday to Sunday by renting halls from public schools, such as in Washington DC and its surroundings.
In New York, the Indonesian Muslim community has the Al-Hikmah Mosque, in Washington DC it has a mosque as well as a sizable IMAAM office to serve the diverse needs of the Indonesian community in the area.
The Rumi Forum in Washington DC is a forum for anyone who wants to understand the depth of the deeper meaning of Islam, not only among Muslims, but also among other religions.
Festivals and religious events at Rumi Forum and other Turkis centers have received a positive impression in the community.
The same is also known in various Hisham Kabbani recitation events which are getting bigger day by day.
Its branches are scattered in all states of the United States, even reaching Europe, Canada, Latin America, Africa and including Indonesia.
In Philadelphia, Sheikh Fethullah Gullen, who over the past decade has had a different political line than Turkey’s President Erdogan, also has a very big center and supporters. They are not suspicious at all because what they show is Islam rahmatan lil ‘alamin.
This reminds the writer of when in 2004-2005 he served as the “guardian” of the IMAAM Center, the center of activity for Indonesian Muslims on the Beltway (DC, Maryland and Virginia).
While working in this center, the writer and his family are never disturbed from anywhere.
It may be because what we are developing is a peaceful Islam. The same movement has in fact been led by Islamic communities in the Middle East and South Asia in the United States.
However, they are often given the impression that they are a little distinct because perhaps in the way they dress and socialize, they have a specificity that gives the impression of a distance from to other groups.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian Muslim community in the United States is adjusting more easily to local residents.
* Manuscript of Travel Documents of Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Prof. KH Nasaruddin Umar in USA, posted on Republic Daily
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